Today, we are excited to launch the official trailer for the 15th edition of theAesthetica Film Festival, offering a first glimpse of the films, performances and experiences that will define this year’s programme. Over five days this November, Aesthetica becomes a hub for filmmakers, musicians, comedians, game designers, podcasters and artists from around the world – a place to connect, learn, and be inspired by the future of storytelling. Watch the trailer above to get a taste of what’s on offer.

More than 300 titles, spanning Animation, Comedy, Dance, Drama, Documentary and more, will screen. The programme champions bold, emerging voices, alongside established talent. Many Official Selection filmmakers go on to BAFTA and Academy Award recognition. Aesthetica is the place for audiences to meet these trailblazing creators, engage in conversations and witness storytelling in action. The festival is where ideas travel, collaborations form and creativity takes new shape.

Our masterclasses and panels provide rare access to some of the most influential voices in contemporary cinema. Peter Straughan (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy), Jasmin John (Adolescence, Boiling Point) and Mick Audsley (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) share their expertise, whilst organisations including Aardman (Wallace & Gromit), BBC, Film4, Framestore (Guardians of the Galaxy), and Ridley Scott Associates (Gladiator, The Martian) reveal the craft behind directing, screenwriting and visual storytelling. These sessions are invitations to experiment, think differently and learn directly from the people shaping the industry.

New this year is our Beyond the Frame programme, which extends the festival’s creative vision beyond the cinema. Comedy, music, performance, immersive experiences and interactive media run throughout the festival. Sophie Duker headlines Comedy Night with Eleanor Tiernan and Bella Hull, silent cinema comes alive with live scores from The Dodge Brothers and Neil Brand, and Mark Kermode explores how music shapes what we see screen. The New Music Stage showcases 10 breakthrough British talents, whilst our VR & Games Labs and Podcasting Lounge explore interactive and audio storytelling. Plus, pop-up exhibitions, workshops and hands-on sessions ensure that innovation is experienced, not just observed.

For industry professionals, Aesthetica is a vital global meeting point. The UK Film Production Summit brings together over 150 production companies, commissioners and executives to discuss the future of storytelling, from AI and virtual production to streaming and new investment models. Mark Herbert, CEO of Warp Films (This Is England, Four Lions, Submarine, Adolescence), leads discussions on independent production and bold risk-taking, alongside representatives from BBC Films, Working Title, Clerkenwell, Scott Free, Film4, and more. Here, the stories of tomorrow are conceived, financed and debated.

Festival Director Cherie Federico reflects: “Aesthetica is about curiosity, ambition, and connection. Every year, we bring together creatives from all over the world to share ideas, challenge themselves, and discover new ways of telling stories. There is no other festival in the UK that connects such a diversity of media, talent and ideation in one space.”Aesthetica Film Festival 2025 is where creativity, talent and innovation converge on a global scale. Films, music, comedy, immersive experiences, and interactive storytelling exist in dialogue, creating a platform where the future of storytelling is imagined, shared, and celebrated. For anyone shaping, watching, or imagining the next wave of stories, Aesthetica is essential – a festival to experience, participate in, and be inspired by, wherever you are in the world.

Aesthetica Film Festival runs 5-9 November in York, UK. To purchase your pass, click here.

To download the festival programme, click here.

Image Credits: 1. Plastic Bubble, dir. Leon Eberwein | Advertising Official Selection 2. Notes from Planet Three, dir. Simon Ellis | Family Friendly Official Selection 3.* Christmas Delivery*, dir. Valentin Savin, Katerina Lagoda | Advertising Official Selection 4. Revealed – The Pit Camp, dirs. Judi Alston, Andy Campbell | VR Official Selection 5. The Voicenote, dir. Kelechi Okafor | Drama Official Selection

Posted on 8 October 2025